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<title>I need somebody to tell me it'll be alright, somebody to tell me it'll be just fine by SilverShadow1</title>
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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24956374">I need somebody to tell me it'll be alright, somebody to tell me it'll be just fine</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilverShadow1/pseuds/SilverShadow1'>SilverShadow1</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>13 Reasons Why (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Basically Charlie is cute and supportive, Canon Disabled Character, Coming Out, Developing Friendships, Developing Relationship, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Episode: s04e04 Senior Camping Trip, Let's call it for what it was, Light Angst, M/M, Mention of TBI, Mention of tinnitus, Semi-public outing</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 09:46:52</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,539</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24956374</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilverShadow1/pseuds/SilverShadow1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“What did he say … about me? The way you apologized, it was more than just finding out he was the alibi.”<br/>“He said …” Charlie trailed off. “Look, it’s really not -”<br/>“Charles,” insisted Alex. “Please.”<br/>“He said you were heartbroken about it.”</p><p>OR</p><p>Alex could tell Charlie knew more than he let on about him and Winston. So, he asked him.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Charlie St. George/Alex Standall</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>102</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>I need somebody to tell me it'll be alright, somebody to tell me it'll be just fine</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This one was surprisingly more difficult to write, but it also might be because I was sort of connecting it back to the actual episode. Hope you still enjoy it!</p><p>Title: "Somebody to Tell Me (Theme Song from 'Love, Victor')" by Tyler Glenn</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It felt like his lungs were on fire.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alex sat on the shoreline only a few feet from Zach, but he felt like he was still lost, floating under the surface of the lake. He knew he should be grateful he didn’t hit his head worse or actually </span>
  <em>
    <span>drown</span>
  </em>
  <span>, but he’s felt like he was drowning for so long that maybe it didn’t matter if he was actually underwater.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alex, man, talk to me,” he heard Zach say, anxiously. “Dude, what the fuck is going on?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s - It’s Winston,” said Alex, his head buried between his knees. “He can alibi Monty. He’s just played me all this time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do you -?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’ve kissed. Like … a lot. And we’ve hung out together. I don’t know what the fuck we were, but Ani saw us at the dance, and then she told Clay that Winston and Monty were together the night … you know. Bryce died. Winston told her </span>
  <em>
    <span>months</span>
  </em>
  <span> ago that he could alibi Monty -”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Son of a </span>
  <em>
    <span>fucking</span>
  </em>
  <span> bitch!” shouted Zach, standing up from the sand. “They knew all this fucking time? Seriously?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alex buried his face in his hands, not sure if the dampness he felt was tears or lake water.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alex, man, I know you’re hurting, but you need to focus,” said Zach. “Has Winston said anything to you? Asked you any questions?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know,” he said, dejectedly. “Not that I can remember.” He blinked, trying to chase away the tears. “I ended things with him, though. Don’t worry, he doesn’t know why,” he hastened to add. “I just told him that I’m not into guys and wanted to bunk with my dad tonight.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You can bunk with me and Charlie,” said Zach, automatically. Alex looked at him skeptically.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The tents are really small, Zach. I doubt Charlie wants to -”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Charlie’s a good guy. He’ll be fine with it. Come on,” said Zach, grabbing his hand and pulling him upright. “We need to get back to the grounds.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>***</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Alex couldn’t wait until this fucking camping trip was behind him for good. He knew that he had no interest in camping before, but after an actual experience … forget it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So, when Zach told him that he could sleep in his and Charlie’s tent, the relief was immediate. Alex certainly didn’t want to answer any questions that his father still had for him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was honestly grateful. That is, until Charlie said that he was sorry for everything that happened with Winston.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then Alex wanted to punch Zach.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Which brings him to the present moment. The rest of the campsite was surely asleep, but he remained wide awake staring at the tent’s roof.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It didn’t matter, though. Even if the current situation wasn’t so messed up, he rarely fell asleep fast. Ever since his TBI, he suffered from all kinds of shitty side effects, including tinnitus, so most nights were spent with him trying to tune out the constant ringing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He exhaled in frustration and ran a hand over his face. It was just never easy, was -</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Awake, too?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alex nearly screamed. He turned his head to the right and stared at Charlie with wide eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry,” said Charlie, looking genuinely apologetic. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” Alex agreed. “You’re too good of a person for that.” Why did he say that out loud? “Why are you still awake?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Charlie shrugged.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Would you believe me if I said the forest floor isn’t the most comfortable?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alex snickered and shook his head. He watched as Charlie looked over his shoulder, presumably to make sure they didn’t wake Zach.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s out cold when he drinks,” said Alex. “Don’t worry about him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Seems like something worth worrying about.” Alex hesitated before humming in agreement. “What’s got you awake?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Probably the same as you,” was all he said. He thought he saw Charlie’s mouth turn down, but he couldn’t be sure.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Winston?” Alex did an awkward half shrug. “Do you want to talk about it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What's left to say?” said Alex, sardonically. “Everyone is apparently entitled to and aware of the most intimate and embarrassing details of my life.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looked away from Charlie and back up at the tent roof, sighing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m just - I get that everyone put it all on the line for me. You most of all. I appreciate it, more than I can say. This, though … Ani could’ve come to me, not Clay. Then I made the mistake of telling Zach, who told fucking </span>
  <em>
    <span>everyone</span>
  </em>
  <span>. I didn’t think people would have a problem, but -”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s your thing to tell, when and how you choose to tell it,” finished Charlie. Alex looked at him and nodded. “I’m really sorry, Alex. I could tell how upset you were earlier when I brought it up - I shouldn’t have said …”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have to know,” interjected Alex. “What did he say … about me? The way you apologized, it was more than just finding out he was the alibi.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He could see the faint shadow of Charlie twisting his fingers nervously on the tent wall. The other boy was clearly anxious, which did nothing to ease his own anxiety.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He said …” Charlie trailed off. “Look, it’s really not -”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Charles,” insisted Alex. “Please.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He said you were heartbroken about it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alex sat up abruptly, the noise causing Zach to snort in his sleep and roll onto his side facing away from them. Charlie sat up as well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m going to fucking -” He went to rip off his sleeping bag, but Charlie grabbed his wrist.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Please, Alex,” said Charlie. “He shouldn’t have betrayed your trust like that, but he meant well.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alex stared at Charlie’s hand wrapped around his wrist for a beat before he pulled it away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I need some air,” said Alex.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alex -”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alex untwisted himself from his sleeping bag and walked outside toward the now extinguished, but still smoking campfire. He heard the sound of footsteps behind him, but ignored them. After several minutes of pacing, he finally sat down on one of the logs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You can go back and sleep like a normal person,” said Alex, tiredly. “You’re not my keeper.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re friends … aren’t we? I thought we were over the break.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alex pinched the bridge of his nose. Charlie was a good guy, he really was, but Alex had a hard time easily calling anyone a friend these days.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Look, Alex,” said Charlie, squatting down in front of him. Alex wished he could look anywhere other than Charlie’s puppy eyes, but he couldn’t. “I fucked up earlier. I should have quit while I was ahead. You realized I knew, I saw it in your eyes with how red and glassy they got. I hope you know it was never my intention to put you on the spot or make you feel uncomfortable or like I expected you to confide in me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But,” Charlie continued, “I’m told that I’m a good listener if you ever wanted to do that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alex looked down at his hands, unable to look at him without feeling an overwhelming urge to cry. Charlie seemed to realize that, too, and took a seat on the log beside him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know, I went camping one other time,” said Charlie. Alex sniffed and looked sideways at him. “Yeah, it was shit then, too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alex let out a choked cackle, almost immediately covering his mouth, and Charlie grinned.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There’s that Alex Standall laugh.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” said Alex, baffled. “I have a specific laugh?” Charlie nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s like … the most genuine laugh. Almost a mix between a cackle and a hyena laugh? In a good way, of course.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course,” said Alex, drily.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But like, most of the time you just snort or smirk. This laugh, though, you </span>
  <em>
    <span>always</span>
  </em>
  <span> go to cover your mouth. Like you find it embarrassing, but it’s so infectious and you shouldn’t.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They fell into a sudden silence, Alex taken aback by Charlie’s admission and Charlie worried that he said too much.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry, that was weird,” Charlie began. “I talk too much and -”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We are,” said Alex, abruptly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We are,” he repeated. “Friends. And you’re a really good one.” He gave Charlie a lopsided smile, which the boy returned with a grin. Alex felt shy all of a sudden and looked away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you think it gets better?” asked Alex. Charlie looked questioningly at him. “Everyone always says, ‘It gets better’ for just about everything. Is it just high school that’s utter shit and it really gets better afterwards?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think,” said Charlie, slowly, “for some people, high school is their peak. Not because they couldn’t do better, but because they had it made and then they settled. So, in a way, I think everyone who had to walk through the storms to see the rainbow are sort of … I’m not sure lucky is the word, but in a way, they’re blessed. They have to want better and if they’re lucky, they find people who want that for them as well and it all sort of builds from there.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alex absorbed everything Charlie said in deep concentration.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I hope you’re right,” he finally said, turning to look at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Charlie just smiled at him, the stars shining in his eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m pretty confident that I am.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>As always, kudos and comments encourage me to keep writing and make my day much brighter! Story prompts are welcome.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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